z\  g  g  3 

Q  *^-  n 


3^ 


AN  APPEAL 


FOR   THE 


/ 


EESTORATION  OF  THE  BIBLE  SABBATH 


BATTLE  CREEK,  MICH.: 

STEAM  PRESS  OF  THE  REVIEW  ANT*    HERALD  OFFICE, 


U 


I860. 


••»^»t'»»*"k««**»"»«''wV»t'«».'^. 


AN  APPEAL 


RESTORATION  OF  THE  BIBLE  SABBATH 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  BAPTISTS, 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST  GENERAL  CONFERENCE. 


STEAM  PKE3S  OF  THE  REVIEW  AND  HERALD  OFFICE, 

CATTLE  CREEK,  MICH. 


I860. 


EC     7  W92 


THE  ADDRESS 


The  Seventh-day  Baptist  General  Conference,  to  the  Mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  Denomination  throughout  the  United 
States,  holding  to  the  Observance  of  the  First  Day  of  the 
Week  as  a  Divine  Institution. 

Beloved  Brethren:  When  our  Divine  Re- 
deemer dwelt  on  earth,  he  prayed  that  all  his  dis- 
ciples might  be  made  perfect  in  one.  As  this 
prayer  was  in  harmony  with  the  sure  word  of 
prophecy,  which  instructs  us  to  look  for  a  time 
when  "  the  watchmen  shall  see  eye  to  eye,  and 
sing  with  united  voice,"  we  are  sure  that  it  will 
ultimately  be  answered.  We  see  nothing,  howev- 
er, to  warrant  us  in  looking  for  such  a  happy  con- 
summation, while  we  contemplate  the  multiplied 
divisions  of  the  Christian  world,  perpetuated  as 
they  are  by  the  selfishness  of  human  nature.  Here 
the  prospect  is  dark  indeed.  But  we  have  an  un- 
shaken confidence  in  the  power  of  God  to  bring 
about  his  own  purposes,*  notwithstanding  all  the 
devices  of  men.  ''The  hearts  of  all  are  in  his 
hands,  and  he  turneth  them  whithersoever  he  will." 
He  that  made  "  the  multitude  of  one  heart  and  of 
one  soul,"  in  the  first  age  of  the  church,  can  again 

*  We  do  not  look  for  the  unity  of  the  great  religious  bodies 
upon  Bible  truth  ;  but  we  do  believe  that  God  will  "takeout 
of  them  a  people  for  his  name,"  who  will  exhibit  the  unity 
expressed  in  Eph.  iv  ;  John  xvii ;  Rom.  xv,  6,  7 ;  1  Cor.  i, 
10  ;  Col.  iii,  1-4;  1  Pet.  iii,  8.  Pubs. 


4  APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

concentrate  his  scattered  bands,  break  down  ev- 
ery wall  of  separation,  and  enlighten  every  mind 
by  the  eiFusion  of  his  Spirit.  Then  shall  Zion 
move  forth,  "  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an 
army  with  banners." 

We  rejoice,  brethren,  that  you,  as  well  as  our- 
selves, are  looking  for  this  day  of  glory.  More- 
over, we  have  knowledge  of  your  firm  persuasion, 
that  this  glorious  union  of  the  now  scattered  forces 
of  Israel,  can  be  effected  only  upon  the  basis  of 
divine  truth.  With  a  single  glance  you  see  the  fal- 
lacy of  that  reasoning,  which  calls  upon  you,  for 
the  sake  of  union,  to  sacrifice  the  least  particle  of 
God's  word.  Taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  you 
have  learned  that  the  smallest  atom  of  truth  is 
more  precious  than  fine  gold.  That  meager  piety 
which  finds  ''non-essentials"  in  the  appointments 
of  Jehovah,  you  cannot  abide.  Your  language  is, 
"  We  esteem  all  thy  precepts  concerning  all 
things  to  be  right,  and  we  hate  every  false  w^ay . 

We  know,  moreover,  that  it  is  the  desire  of 
your  hearts,  that  all  dissensions  between  Chris- 
tians should  be  forever  ended.  For  this  object 
you  are  laboring  and  praying  ;  and  while  you  are 
doing  so,  you  have  the  enlightened  conviction, 
that  your  labors  and  prayers  wdll  be  successful, 
in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  truth  with  which 
your  own  minds  are  imbued,  and  which  you  can 
bring  to  bear  upon  the  minds  of  others.  Labor- 
ing as  you  are  to  expound  to  others  the  way  of 
the  Lord  more  perfectly,  we  cannot  suppose  that 
you  are  yourselves  unwilling  to  learn.  We  there- 
fore approach  you  with  confidence,  affectionately 
and  earnestly  requesting  you  to  take  into  consid- 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  BAPTISTS.  D 

eration  the  subject  which  is  the  only  ground  of 
difference  between  you  and  us.  In  our  estimation, 
it  is  a  subject  of  great  importance  ;  and  though 
some  of  you  have  made  it  a  matter  of  thought,  we 
are  persuaded  that  the  great  body  of  your  denom- 
ination have  dismissed  it  without  any  particular 
investigation.  Indeed,  we  speak  not  unadvisedly 
when  we  say,  that  on  this  question  the  whole 
church  of  God  have  been  hushed  to  sleep.  In 
urging  it  upon  your  attention,  we  think  you  will 
not  charge  us  with  wishing  to  raise  disturbance  in 
Zion.  We  indulge  the  hope  that  you  will  impute 
to  us  the  same  disinterestedness  of  motive  by  which 
you  yourselves  are  actuated  when  you  boldly 
proclaim  your  denominational  sentiments  upon 
every  high  place,  and  scatter  your  publications  in 
every  direction.  Your  course  springs  not  from 
any  wish  to  foment  disturbance,  but  from  the  pain 
which  your  hearts  feel  to  see  the  institutions  of 
Christ  made  void  by  the  traditions  of  men.  Our 
action  in  this  matter  springs  from  the  same  prin- 
ciple. We  feel  in  regard  to  the  Sabbath  just  as 
you  do  in  regard  to  baptism.  We  declare  before 
God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  are  moved 
by  a  desire  for  your  good  and  God's  glory. 

When  we  look  over  your  large  and  influential 
denomination,  we  find  that,  in  reference  to  the 
subject  upon  which  we  now  address  you,  you  are 
divided  into  about  three  classes.  1.  Those  who, 
acknowledging  the  perpetuity  of  the  Sabbath  law, 
enforce  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  by  the 
fourth  commandment,  but  change  the  day  of  its  ■ 
celebration  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of 
the  week.     2.   Those  who  see  the  impossibility  of 


b  APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

proving  a  change  of  the  day,  and  therefore  regard 
the  commandment  as  abolished  by  the  death  of 
Christ.  But,  at  the  same  time,  they  consider  the 
first  day  of  the  week  as  an  institution  entirely 
new,  to  be  regulated  as  to  its  observance  wholly 
by  the  New  Testament.  3.  Those  who  consider 
neither  the  Old  nor  the  New  Testament  to  impose 
any  obligation  upon  them  to  observe  a  day  of  rest, 
and  advocate  one  merely  on  the  ground  of  expe- 
diency. 

I.  To  those  of  you  who  acknowledge  the  obli- 
gation of  a  Sabbath,  but  change  the  day  of  its 
celebration  from  the  seventh  to  the  j^rs^  day  of  the 
week,  we  would  say,  that  while  from  the  law  only 
you  infer  any  obligation  to  sabbatize  at  all,  yet 
make  the  particular  time  of  sabbatizing  to  stand 
upon  New  Testament  authority,  we  do  not  see  how 
you  can  relieve  yourselves  from  the  charge  of  de- 
parting from  the  great  principle  contended  for  by 
Baptists ;  viz..  That  whatever  is  commanded  by 
an  institution,  is  to  be  learned  from  the  law  of 
the  institution,  and  not  from  other  sources.  On 
this  principle,  you  reject  the  logic  of  Pedobaptists, 
who,  while  they  find  the  ordinance  of  baptism  in 
the  New  Testament,  go  back  to  the  law  of  circum- 
cision to  determine  the  subjects.  You  tell  them, 
and  very  justly  too,  that  the  law  of  the  institution 
is  the  07ili/  rule  of  obedience.  But  do  you  not  fall 
into  the  same  error  when  the  argument  has  re- 
spect to  the  Sabbath  ?  We  can  see  no  more  fit- 
ness in  applying  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  to  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  than  in  applying  the  law  of 
circumcision  to  the  subjects  of  baptism.  For  the 
law  of  circumcision  was  not  more  expressly  con- 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  BAPTISTS.  i 

fined  to  the  fleshly  seed  of  Abraham,  than  was  the 
law  of  the  Sabbath  to  the  seventh  day  of  the  week. 
The  true  principle  is,  that  every  institution  is  to 
be  explained  and  regulated  by  its  own  law.  There- 
fore, if  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  an  institution 
binding  upon  us,  the  law  to  regulate  its  observ- 
ance should  be  looked  for  where  we  find  the  insti- 
tution. Be  pleased,  brethren,  to  review  this  ar- 
gument, and  see  if  you  are  not  treading  on  Pedo- 
baptist  ground. 

In  justification  of  this  change  of  the  day,  we 
often  hear  you  plead  the  example  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles.  But  where  do  we  find  anything  to 
this  efi'ect  in  their  example  ?  Did  the  apostles 
sahhatize  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  ?  Did  the 
churches  which  were  organized  by  them  do  so  ? 
Observe,  the  question  between  you  and  us  is  not, 
Did  they  meet  together  and  hold  worship  on  that 
day  ?  BUT,  Did  they  sahhatize  ?  that  is,  Did  they 
REST  FROM  THEIR  LABOR  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week  ?  Did  they  observe  it  as  a  Sabbath  ?  This 
is  the  true  issue.  We  have  often  asked  this  ques- 
tion, but  the  only  answer  that  we  have  received 
has  been,  that  they  assemhled for  tvorship.  But 
this  is  not  a  candid  way  of  meeting  the  point.  It 
is  in  reality  an  answer  to  a  very  different  question 
from  the  one  we  ask.  Brethren,  act  out  your  own 
principles.  Come  up  fairly  to  the  question.  When 
you  ask  a  Pedobaptist,  Did  Christ  baptize  or  au- 
thorize the  baptism  of  little  children  ?  you  expect 
him  to  make  some  other  reply  than,  ^*  He  put  his 
hands  on  them  and  prayed.''  When  you  ask,  Did 
the  apostles  baptize  unconscious  babes  ?  you  are 
not  well  pleased  with  the    reply,    They    haptized 


»  APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

households.  Your  question  was  with  regard  to 
infants — the  baptism  of  them.  If,  therefore  when 
we  ask  jou,  Did  the  apostles  and  primitive  Chris- 
tians sahhatize  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  ?  you 
merely  reply  as  above,  we  do  not  see  but  you  are 
guilty  of  the  very  same  sophistry  you  are  so  ready 
to  charge  upon  your  Pedobaptist  brethren.  Your 
adroit  evasion  of  the  real  question  seems  to  place 
you  much  in  the  same  predicament  as  were  the 
Pharisees,  when  Christ  asked  them  whence  was 
the  baptism  of  John.  It  appears  as  if  you  rea- 
soned with  yourselves,  and  said,  ^'  If  we  shall  say 
they  did  sabbatize  on  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
the  evidence  will  be  called  for,  and  we  cannot  find 
it ;  but  if  we  shall  say  they  did  not,  we  fear  the 
day  will  lose  its  sacredness  in  the  eyes  of  the  peo- 
ple." We  do  not  by  any  means  wish  to  charge 
you  with  a  Pharisaic  lack  of  principle,  but  we 
put  it  to  your  sober  judgment,  whether  your  posi- 
tion is  not  an  awkward  one.  Brethren,  re-con- 
sider this  point,  and  see  if  you  are  not  on  Pedo- 
baptist ground. 

If  the  apostles  did  not  sabbatize  on  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  then  it  follows,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
that  whatever  notoriety  or  dignity  belonged  to 
that  day,  they  did  not  regard  it  as  a  substitute  for 
the  Sabbath.  Consequently,  unless  the  Sabbath 
law  was  entirely  abrogated  by  the  death  of  Christ, 
the  old  Sabbath,  as  instituted  in  Paradise,  and  re- 
hearsed from  Sinai,  continues  yet  binding,  as  "the 
Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God." 

But  more  than  this.  Even  if  it  could  be  proved, 
that  the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  did  ac- 
tually regard  tlie  first  day  of  the  week  as  a  Sab- 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  9 

hatJij  it  would  not  follow  that  the  old  Sabbath  is 
no  longer  in  force,  unless  it  could  be  proved  that 
they  considered  the  new  as  a  substitute  for  the 
old ;  or,  that  so  far  as  the  particular  day  was  con- 
cerned, it  was  of  a  ceremonial  character.  But 
where  do  we  find  proof  for  either  of  these  points  ? 
In  the  whole  record  of  the  transactions  and  teach- 
ings of  the  apostles,  where  do  we  find  this  idea  of 
substitution  ?  Nowhere.  Where  do  we  find  evi- 
dence that,  so  far  as  the  farticular  day  was  con- 
cerned, it  was  ceremonial^  and  therefore  to  cease 
at  the  death  of  Christ  ?  Nowhere.  The  argu- 
ment that  proves  the  Sabbath  laiv  not  to  be  cere- 
monial, proves  the  same  of  the  day.  Did  the 
Sabbath  law  originate  in  Paradise,  when  man  was 
innocent,  and  had  no  need  of  a  Redeemer  ?  So 
did  the  day.  It  was  then  sanctified  and  blessed. 
Does  the  Sabbath  law  take  cognizance  of  the  re- 
lation on  which  all  the  precepts  of  the  moral  law 
are  founded ;  viz.,  the  relation  we  sustain  to  God 
as  creatures  to  Creator  ?  So  does  the  day.  It 
is  a  memorial  of  this  relation,  and  of  the  rest  en- 
tered into  by  God  after  he,  by  his  work,  had  es- 
tablished the  relation.  It  appears,  then,  that 
neither  the  Sabbath  law^  nor  the  day  it  enjoins, 
Avas  of  a  ceremonial  character.  True,  it  is  not 
morale  in  the  strictest  sense,  but  rather  'positive. 
Nevertheless,  by  divine  appointment  it  is  in  the 
same  category  Avith  the  moral  law,  and  must  be 
considered  a  part  of  it.  If  this  reasoning  is  cor- 
rect— and  if  it  is  not,  we  hope  you  will  point  it 
out — it  would  not  follow  that  the  old  Sabbath  is 
done  away,  because  Christ  and  his  apostles  sab- 
2 


10        APPEAL  POR  THE  SABBATH  : 

batized  on  the  first  clay  of  the  week  ;    but    only 
that  there  were  two  Sabbaths  instead  of  one. 

But  could  Christ  or  his  apostles  consistently  al- 
ter the  law  of  the  Sabbath  ?  In  all  his  ministry, 
Christ  acted  under  the  appointment  of  the  Father, 
and  according  to  such  restrictions  as  were  con- 
tained in  the  law  and  the  prophets.  By  those  re- 
strictions, no  laws  were  to  be  set  aside  at  his  com- 
ing, except  such  as  were  peculiar  to  the  Jewish 
economy  ;  such  as  "  meats,  and  drinks,  and  divers 
washings,  and  carnal  ordinances,  imposed  until 
the  time  of  reformation."  Heb.  ix,  10.  To  set 
aside  these,  the  law  gave  the  Messiah  an  express 
grant.  Heb.  x,  9.  But  the  very  moment  he 
should  attempt  to  go  beyond  the  limits  of  that 
grant,  he  would  destroy  all  evidence  of  his  being 
the  Messiah  promised  and  appointed.  For  it  was 
by  his  exact  conformity  to  the  law,  that  his  claims 
were  established.  Hence,  early  in  his  ministry, 
he  declared  that  he  "  came  not  to  destroy  the  law 
or  the  prophets."  Matt,  v,  17.  Most  cheerfully 
do  we  recognize  him  as  God  over  all,  and  blessed 
forever  ;  yet  we  are  well  satisfied  that,  even  in 
virtue  of  his  divinity,  he  could  not  consistently  set 
aside  any  laws  except  those  which  were  "  a  shad- 
ow of  things  to  come."  Otherwise  we  should 
have  God  denying  himself — God  contradicting 
himself !  The  New  Testament  records  not  a  sin- 
gle instance  of  his  claiming  a  right  to  do  so.  When 
he  avowed  himself  Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  he  only 
claimed  to  determine  what  was  the  proper  method 
of  keeping  it — what  were  breaches  of  it,  and  what 
were  not.     The  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and 


ADDRESS   TO   THE    BAPTISTS.  11 

consequently  it  vfas  his  prerogative  to  decide  what 
acts  and  duties  answered  to  the  nature  and  design 
of  the  institution.  Therefore,  the  Son  of  man  is 
Lord  of  the  Sabbath/    Mark  ii,  28. 

In  regard  to  the  obligation  resulting  from  apos- 
tolic example,  it  appears  to  us  that  you  have  fall- 
en into  some  errors.  We  are  not  convinced  that 
the  example  of  the  apostles  can  be  justly  pleaded 
for  anything  else  than  the  order  and  arrangement 
of  the  church.  However  proper  it  may  be  to  im- 
itate them  in  other  respects — in  the  duties  of  the 
moraJ  law,  for  instance — yet,  if  it  were  not  known 
to  be  proper,  independent  of  their  example,  we 
cannot  suppose  their  example  would  make  it  so. 
We  must  first  ascertain,  by  some  settled  and  in- 
fallible rule,  whether  their  practice  is  worthy  of 
imitation.  In  regard  to  the  ordering  of  church 
affairs,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  for  they  were  sent 
upon  this  very  errand,  with  the  promise  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  qualify  them  for  the  work.  But 
the  Sabbath  is  not  a  church  ordinance.  It  is  not 
an  institution  for  the  church  as  such,  but  for  all 
mankind.  All  reasoning  with  reference  to  it, 
from  apostolic  example,  must  therefore  be  very 
inconclusive.  Even  if  we  should  admit  that  the 
church  is  bound  by  such  example  to  regard  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  yet  this  is  the  utmost  extent 
to  which  our  admissions  can  go.  We  cannot  see 
how  the  institution  becomes  binding  upon  the  world 
at  large.  Consequently,  we  are  compelled  to  main- 
tain, that  an  institution  which  was  originally  given 
for  all  mankind,  remains  unaltered.  We  are  will- 
ing that  the  example  and  practice  of  the  apostles 
should  regulate  the  church  as  to  its  ordinances  and 


12        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

government,  and  herein  we  claim  to  follow  tliem 
as  strictl}^  as  you  do  ;  but  Avhen  tliey  are  pleaded 
for  anything  more,  we  want  first  to  know  whether 
they  conform  to  the  express  law  of  God.  Other- 
wise we  must  consider  them  as  no  more  binding 
than  an  apostle's  quarrel  with  Barnabas.  Acts 
XV,  39. 

If  this  argument  is  Avell  founded,  we  are  led  to  a 
very  satisfactory  disposal  of  a  question  often  pro- 
posed ;  viz..  Why  do  we  never  read  in  the  New 
Testament  of  Christian  assemblies  being  convened 
as  such  on  the  Sabbath  ?  For  if  the  Sabbath  be 
not  a  church  ordinance,  but  an  institution  for  man- 
kind at  large,  it  can  be  of  no  importance  for  us  to 
know  what  Christian  assemblies  as  such  did  with 
regard  to  it.  All  that  is  of  real  importance  for 
us  to  know,  is  the  precise  bearing  of  the  institu- 
tion upon  man  as  man — upon  man  as  a  rational 
and  accountable  creature.  On  this  point  the  in- 
formation is  clear  and  decisive. 

The  controversy  between  us  and  you  appears  to 
be  brought  down  to  a  very  narrow  compass.  Did 
the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  sahhatize  on 
the  first  day  of  the  iveek  f  And,  Is  it  the  duty  of 
all  men  to  imitate  their  example,  or  only  the  church  ? 
If,  upon  a  solemn  and  prayerful  consideration  of 
this  subject,  you  are  persuaded  that  there  is  no 
proof  that  the  early  Christians  regarded  the  first 
day  as  a  Sabbath  (substituted  in  place  of  the  sev- 
enth), and  will  honestly  avow  your  conviction,  we 
have  no  fear  that  the  controversy  will  be  prolong- 
ed. For,  should  you  still  be  of  opinion  tliat  some 
sort  of  notoriety  was  attached  to  the  day,  and  that 
Cliristians  met  for  worship,  we  shall  not  be  very 


ADDRESS    TO    THE     BAPTISTS.  13 

solicitous  to  dispute  the  point.  The  apostolic  rule, 
"  Let  every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own 
mind,"  will  then  govern  us.  See  Rom.  xiv,  5,  6. 
Our  concern  is  not  that  you  keep  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  but  that  you  keep  it  in  place  of  the  Sab- 
bath, thus  making  void  the  commandment  of  God. 
If  once  you  discover  that  Sunday  is  not  the  Sab- 
bath by  divine  appointment,  and  therefore  cannot 
be  enforced  upon  the  conscience,  we  are  persuaded 
that  your  deep  sense  of  the  necessity  of  such  an 
institution,  wdll  soon  bring  you  to  the  observance 
of  the  one  originally  appointed. 

II.  But  we  proceed  to  address  those  of  you 
who  regard  the  sabbatic  law  as  having  been  nailed 
to  the  cross,  and  consider  the  first  day  of  the  week 
as  an  institution  entirely  new,  regulated  as  to  its 
observance  wholly  by  the  New  Testament. 

You,  whom  we  now  address,  are  exempt  from 
some  of  the  inconsistencies  which  we  have  exposed  ; 
but  your  theory  labors  under  very  serious  difiicul- 
ties,  and  is  to  be  regarded,  on  the  whole,  as  more 
obnoxious  to  the  interests  of  religion,  than  the  one 
we  have  been  considering. 

According  to  your  position,  the  New  Testament 
recognizes  no  Sabbath  at  all.  Do  not  start  at 
this  charge.  That  it  is  repugnant  to  your  feel- 
ings, we  allow.  You  have  never  thought  of  any- 
thing else  than  entire  abstinence  from  labor  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week.  It  is  your  day  of  rest,  as 
well  as  ivorship.  But  on  what  ground  do  you 
make  it  a  day  of  rest  ?  What  example  have  you 
for  doing  so  ?  What  laiv  of  the  New  Testament 
requires  you  to  lay  aside  all  your  secular  business  ? 
As  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law,  and  where 


14  APPEAL    FOR    THE    SABBATH  : 

no  law  is  there  is  no  transgression  [1  John  iii,  iv ; 
Rom.  iv,  15],  how  do  you  make  it  appear  to  be 
sin  to  work  on  the  day  in  question  ?  It  is  by  the 
commandment  that  sin  becomes  exceeding  sinful. 
Rom.  vii,  13.  By  what  commandment  do  you 
make  it  appear  sinful  to  work  on  Sunday  ?  These 
are  questions  of  the  highest  importance. 

Now  suppose  one  of  your  brethren  attends  pub- 
lic worship  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and — to 
make  his  conformity  to  what  is  supposed  to  be 
apostolic  example  as  perfect  as  possible — partici- 
pates in  the  breaking  of  bread.  He  then  goes 
home,  and  labors  diligently  till  the  day  is  closed. 
By  what  law  will  you  convince  him  of  sin  ?  Not 
the  law  of  the  Sabbath  as  contained  in  the  Deca- 
logue, for  that  you  hold  to  be  abolished.  Not  any 
law  of  the  New  Testament  which  says,  "  Keep  the 
first  day  of  the  week  holy  ;  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do 
any  work,"  for  there  is  no  such  law.  Not  the  law 
of  apostolic  example,  for  there  is  no  proof  that 
the  apostles  ever  gave  such  example.  The  very 
utmost  that  you  can  with  any  show  of  reason  pre- 
tend of  their  example  is,  that  they  met  together 
for  worship  and  breaking  of  bread.  To  this  ex- 
ample your  brother  has  conformed  to  the  very  let- 
ter— who  can  say  he  has  not  in  spirit  also  ?  Whiit 
now  will  you  do  with  him  ?  "  The  Bible,  and  the 
Bible  only,  is  the  religion  of  Protestants."  The 
Bible,  therefore,  is  the  rule  by  which  he  is  to  be 
tried.     Convict  him  of  sin  by  this  rule,  if  you  can. 

But  the  case  becomes  still  more  difficult,  when 
you  come  to  apply  it  to  those  who  are  without  the 
pale  of  the  church.  "We  have  already  seen  that 
apostolic   example  concerns  merely  the  ordering 


ADDRESS    TO    THE     BAPTISTS.  15 

and  arrangement  of  the  church.  Attempt  now  to 
convince  the  unbeliever  of  sin  in  working  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week.  In  order  to  do  this,  charge 
apostolic  example  upon  him.  What  is  his  reply  ? 
"  I  know  not,"  says  he,  "  that  I  am  hound  to  im- 
itate them  in  this  matter.  How  does  it  appear 
that  I  am?  I  will  admit,  for  argument's  sake, 
that  they  celebrated  the  resurrection  on  Sunday 
by  religious  worship  ;  but  they  also  broke  bread 
and  partook  of  it  by  way  of  celebrating  his  death. 
If  their  example  binds  me  in  one  particular,  why 
not  in  the  other  ?  Prove  to  me,"  says  he,  "  that 
any  but  the  church  assembled  on  the  first  day  for 
worship,  and  I  will  do  so  too.  But  in  the  absence 
of  all  such  proof,  I  must  conclude  that  their  ex- 
ample has  nothing  to  do  Avith  me ;  unless,  indeed, 
you  can  make  it  appear  that  their  example  and 
practice  were  in  conformity  to  some  law,  which 
commanded  them  as  rational  creatures,  independ- 
ent of  their  relation  to  Christ  and  his  church. 
When  you  can  produce  that  law,  then  I  shall  feel 
bound  to  obey  it,  and  imitate  the  apostles  in  their 
obedience  to  it;  but  not  till  then."  Such  is  the 
reasoning  by  which  an  unbeliever  may  set  aside 
all  your  attempts  to  charge  sin  upon  him.  Where, 
brethren,  is  your  law  which,  like  a  barbed  arrow, 
pierces  the  very  soul,  and  fastens  guilt  upon  the 
conscience  ?  Where  is  that  law  which  speaks  out 
its  thunders,  saying,  "  Thus  saith  the  Almighty 
God,  the  Lord,  the  maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  It 
is  the  Sabbath-day  ;  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any 
work  ?"  To  throw  aside  the  law,  which  cuts  and 
flames  every  way,  reaching  soul  and  spirit,  joints 
and  marroAv,  in  order  to  deal  with  the  ungodly  by 


16        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

mere  apostolic  example,  is  like  muffling  the  sword, 
lest  it  should  give  a  deadly  wound.  Apostolic  ex- 
ample is  indeed  powerful  with  those  whose  hearts 
have  been  made  tender  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  but 
with  others  powerless. 

We  are  persuaded,  brethren,  that  your  consci- 
entious scruples  about  laboring  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  never  resulted  from  the  mere  contem- 
plation of  apostolic  example.  Such  example,  it 
is  true,  is  all  the  law  you  acknowledge  ;  but  this 
is  the  theory  you  have  adopted  since  you  came  to 
maturity,  and  began  to  think  for  yourselves.  Your 
scruples  have  an  earlier  and  different  origin.  They 
commenced  with  your  childhood,  when  you  were 
taught  to  consider  the  day  as  holy  time.  It  was 
then  carefully  instilled  into  your  mind,  that  God 
had,  by  express  law,  forbidden  you  to  desecrate 
the  day,  and  that  you  would  incur  his  displeasure 
in  case  you  should  do  so.  The  idea  was  then  im- 
bibed, that  if  you  did  not  keep  the  day,  you  would 
violate  the  fourth  commandment.  This  idea  has 
grown  with  your  growth,  and  strengthened  with 
your  strength.  It  has  obtained  such  commanding 
influence  over  your  feelings,  that  you  cannot  com- 
fortably forbear  keeping  a  day  of  rest,  though 
your  theory  does  not  require  it.  Even  to  this  day 
a  strong  impression  rests  upon  your  minds,  that 
the  fourth  commandment  contains  much  of  moral 
excellence — too  much  to  be  thrown  altogether 
away,  notwithstanding  your  system  of  theology 
teaches  its  abrogation.  Such  is  the  true  secret  of 
your  tenderness  of  conscience.  Apostolic  exam- 
ple has  in  reality  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Follow- 
ing the  secret  monitions  of  conscience,  your  pros- 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  17 

perity  is  promoted  in  spite  of  your  theological  sys- 
tem. But  sound  reason  discovers  that  your  expe- 
rience and  your  theory  are  in  opposition  to  each 
other.  Some  of  the  more  thinking  ones  among 
you  are  aware  of  this,  and  are  continually  aiming 
at  such  a  modification  of  their  theory,  that  their 
experience  will  harmonize  with  it.  But  be  as- 
sured, that  there  will  be  an  everlasting  conflict, 
till  you  are  brought  to  acknowledge  fully  and 
heartily  the  claims  of  the  sabbatic  law. 

We  are  aware  of  that  system  of  theology  which 
regards  the  New  Testament  as  furnishing  the  only 
code  of  laws  by  which  men  are  bound  since  the 
death  of  Christ.  We  have  looked  at  this  doctrine 
with  attention  ;  and  so  far  as  the  order,  govern- 
ment, and  ordinances  of  the  church  are  concerned, 
we  admit  its  truth.  As  the  laws  and  ordinances 
of  the  Jewish  church  were  determined  by  the  Old 
Testament,  so  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the 
Christian  church  are  determined  solely  by  the  Neio 
Testament.  Therefore,  we  should  say  at  once, 
the  argument  is  yours,  if  the  Sabbath  were  a 
church  ordinance.  In  such  case,  however,  none 
but  the  church  has  a  Sabbath.  But  the  question 
is  not  concerning  church  ordinances.  In  these  we 
follow  the  New  Testament  as  closely  as  yourselves 
The  question  is  concerning  an  institution  which 
has  respect  to  mankind  at  large — to  man  as  man  ; 
for  the  Saviour  teaches  us  that  the  Sabbath  was 
made /or  man.  Now,  it  will  be  a  very  hard  mat- 
ter to  prove  that  when  men  as  rational  creatures 
are  concerned,  the  only  code  of  laws  by  which 
they  are  bound  is  the  New  Testament.  Let  us 
put  the  matter  to  the  test.     How  will  you  prove 


18        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

that  it  is  unlawful  for  a  man  to  marry  his  sister, 
his  daughter,  or  any  other  of  near  kin  ?  The  New 
Testament  utters  not  a  word  on  the  subject.  It 
is  not  enough  to  say.  It  is  implied  in  the  law  which 
forbids  adultery  ;  for  it  must  first  be  proved  to  be 
a  species  of  adultery  to  do  so.  Nor  will  it  do  to 
say,  The  common  sense  of  mankind  is  a  sufiicient 
law  on  the  subject;  for  the  moment  we  suppose 
that  its  unlawfulness  is  to  be  determined  in  this 
way,  we  abandon  the  argument  that  the  New  Tes- 
tament is  the  only  code  of  laws,  and  resort  to  the 
common  sense  of  mankind  as  furnishing  a  part  of 
the  code.  But  if  the  common  sense  of  man- 
kind shall  furnish  a  part  of  the  code  by  which 
we  are  bound,  w^ho  shall  undertake  to  say  how 
large  a  part  ?  Besides,  on  this  principle,  the 
book  of  divine  revelation  is  not  complete  and 
perfect.  It  is  a  lamp  to  our  feet  only  in  part, 
and  the  common  sense  of  mankind  makes  out 
the  deficiency !  You  are,  therefore,  driven  to 
take  your  stand  again  upon  the  New  Testament. 
Finding  you  there  again,  we  repeat  the  question. 
How  do  you  prove  hy  your  code  that  a  man  may 
not  marry  his  sister  f  It  is  impossible.  You 
must,  of  necessity,  look  to  that  division  of  the 
Scriptures  usually  called  the  Old  Testament ;  for 
the  New  says  not  one  word  about  it. 

Let  us  turn  now  to  the  18th  chapter  of  the  book 
of  Leviticus,  and  we  shall  find  a  collection  of  laws 
exactly  to  the  point.  "-  None  of  you  shall  ap- 
proach to  any  that  is  near  of  kin  to  him,"  &c. 
Verse  6.  The  degrees  of  kindred  arc  then  ex- 
pressly marked.  Will  it  be  objected,  that  these 
laws  were  given  particularly  to  the  Jews,  and  to 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  19 

no  other  people  ?  We  admit  they  were  given  to 
the  Jews,  as  indeed  was  the  whole  system  of  rev- 
elation in  that  age  ;  but  we  cannot  admit  that  they 
concerned  no  other  class  of  people.  For  it  is  ex- 
pressly shown  in  that  chapter,  that  the  matters  of 
which  they  took  cognizance,  were  regarded  as 
abominations  in  the  Gentiles.  Because  of  such 
things,  the  fierce  wrath  of  Jehovah  came  down  up- 
on the  Canaanites,  and  they  were  cast  out  of  the 
land  as  loathsomeness.  Verses  24,  30.  If  these 
things  were  viewed  as  abominable  in  the  Canaan- 
ites, they  surely  were  not  ceremonial  pollutions. 
They  were  not  mere  Jeivish  laws.  The  fallacy  of 
the  doctrine  is  therefore  sufficiently  exposed. 

We  think  you  have  fallen  into  error  concerning 
the  nature  and  design  of  that  division  of  the  Scrip- 
tures commonly  called  the  New  Testament.  We 
regard  it  not  as  the  Laiv  Book  of  mankind,  in  the 
strict  and  proper  sense ;  but  rather  as  a  Treatise 
on  Justification,  or  an  I]xi)ose  of  the  Way  of  Sal- 
vation, in  which  are  contained  such  references  to 
the  law,  and  such  quotations  from  it,  as  are  nec- 
essary to  the  complete  elucidation  of  the  subject. 
The  preparation  of  this  treatise  was  of  necessity 
delayed  until  the  great  Sacrifice  for  sin  had  been 
offered,  and  our  High  Priest  had  entered  into  the 
holy  place.  For,  as  the  sacrifice  and  intercession 
of  our  High  Priest  constitute  the  sole  foundation 
of  our  justification,  so  "  the  way  into  the  holiest 
of  all  was  not  yet  made  manifest,  while  the  first 
tabernacle  was  yet  standing."  Heb.  ix,  8.  So 
much  of  the  plan  of  salvation  was  illustrated  to  the 
people,  as  could  be  by  means  of  the  ritual  service  ; 
and  that,  together  with  the  prophecies,  laid  a  foun- 


20        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

elation  for  them  to  believe  that,  in  some  way  or  oth- 
er, they  would  be  just  before  God.  So  that  by 
faith  the  patriarchs  were  justified.  Heb.  xi.  They 
knew  it  was  to  be  somehoiv  through  the  work  of 
him  who  was  typified  and  promised  as  the  great 
Redeemer.  But  they  could  not  understand  the 
plan  until  the  Redemer  came  and  died  for  them. 

Because  this  expose  of  the  way  of  salvation 
could  not  be  made  until  after  the  death  of  the 
High  Priest,  therefore  it  was  not  proper  to  or- 
ganize gospel  churches.  The  only  church  that 
was  suitable  for  that  age  was  found  in  the  Jewish 
nation,  and  from  its  very  nature  was  unfit  for  the 
world  at  large.  It  was,  therefore,  confined  to  that 
people.  Moreover,  because  it  was  not  proper  to 
organize  gospel  churches  until  the  way  of  salvation 
was  fully  laid  open,  it  was  also  not  proper  to  lay 
dovm  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  church  until 
that  time.  This  accounts  for  the  laws  of  the 
church  being  found  only  in  the  Ncav  Testament. 

Now,  if  the  New  Testament  is  to  be  regarded  as 
an  exhibition  of  the  way  of  salvation,  with  such 
references  to  the  Old  as  are  necessary  for  the  elu- 
cidation of  the  subject,  rather  than  as  the  Law 
Book  for  mankind  at  large,  the  idea  that  the  Sab- 
bath ought  not  to  be  looked  for  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, falls  to  the  ground.  Nevertheless,  to  some 
minds  it  appears  strange  that  while  the  New  Tes- 
tament writers  mention  all  the  other  duties  of  the 
Decalogue,  this  of  Sabbath-keeping  is  apparently 
omitted.  In  speaking  of  the  sins  of  which  Chris- 
tians were  guilty  before  their  conversion,  not  one 
word  is  said  about  Sabbath-breaking,  though  upon 
other  sins  they  dwell   with    emphasis.     But   this 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  21 

admits  of  a  verj  easy  solution.  Those  VvTiters  ad- 
dressed two  classes  of  converts — those  from  among 
the  Jews,  and  those  from  among  the  Gentiles. 
As  to  the  former,  they  were  already  rigid  to  an 
extreme  in  keeping  the  Sabbath.  All  that  was 
necessary  to  do  in  their  case,  was  to  vindicate  the 
institution  from  Pharisaic  austerities,  and  deter- 
mine what  was  lawful  to  be  done,  and  what  was 
not  lawful.  This  was  done  by  Christ.  But  as  for 
the  Gentile  converts,  to  charge  them  with  having 
been  guilty  of  the  sin  of  Sabbath-breaking  in  their 
state  of  heathenism,  would  have  been  manifest  im- 
propriety. For  the  Sabbath  being  for  the  most  part 
a  positive  rather  than  a  moral  precept,  it  could  not 
be  known  without  a  revelation.  But  as  the  Gen- 
tiles had  no  revelation,  this  is  a  good  reason  why 
the  apostle  dwelt  not  upon  this  sin,  to  charge  it 
upon  them,  but  those  only  which  were  more  obvi- 
ously breaches  of  the  Moral  Law.  Thus  it  ap- 
pears, there  was  no  necessity  for  any  more  particu- 
lar mention  of  the  Sabbath  to  be  made  in  the  New 
Testament  than  what  is  made. 

But  it  is  not  our  object  in  this  Address  to  cover 
the  whole  field  of  argument.  We  design  simply, 
by  presenting  some  of  the  strong  points,  and  ex- 
posing your  inconsistencies,  to  stir  up  your  atten- 
tion to  the  subject.  We  are  sure  that  the  great 
majority  of  you  have  never  given  it  a  thorough 
investigation.  For  a  complete  discussion  of  the 
whole  ground  we  refer  you  to  our  publications. 
Will  you  read  them  ?  Will  you  anxiously  inquire, 
What  is  truth  ?  Will  you  pray  over  the  matter, 
saying,  "Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  us  to  do?" 


22  APPEAL   FOU   THE   SABBATH: 

Or  will  you  sleep  over  it  as  if  it  were  of  no  great 
practical  importance  ? 

III.  But  we  must  address  that  class  of  Baptists 
who  consider  neither  the  Old  nor  the  New  Testa- 
ment to  impose  any  obligation  to  observe  a  day 
of  rest,  and  advocate  one  merely  on  the  ground  of 
expediency.  In  some  sections  of  our  country, 
Baptists  would  consider  it  almost  a  slander  upon 
their  denomination  to  intimate  that  there  were 
persons  among  them  of  such  anti-Sabbath  princi- 
ples. But  any  one  who  is  conversant  with  the  or- 
der at  large,  knows  very  well  that  it  is  true. 
There  are  those  who  boldly  avow  such  doctrine, 
and  many  others  who  do  not  deny  that  it  is  their 
real  sentiment,  though  they  are  not  forward  to 
proclaim  it  upon  the  house-tops.  Whether  this 
class  embraces  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  de- 
nomination, it  is  not  necessary  to  inquire.  It  is 
our  impression  that  the  proportion  is  sufficiently 
large  to  justify  an  effort  for  their  conversion  to 
right  views  of  Divine  Truth. 

If  there  is  no  day  of  rest  enjoined  by  divine  au- 
thority, and  the  observance  of  one  rests  wholly 
upon  expediency,  we  see  no  reason,  except  that 
the  voice  of  the  multitude  is  against  it,  why  you 
cannot  as  well  observe  the  seventh  as  the  first  day  of 
the  week.  There  would  bo  no  sacrifice  of  conscience 
in  so  doing,  while  it  would  be  a  tribute  of  respect  to 
those  who  feel  that  the  keeping  of  the  seventh 
day  is  an  indispensable  part  of  duty.  But  it  is  not 
on  this  principle,  particularly,  that  we  desire  you 
to  change  your  ground.  Feeling  that  it  is  not  our 
farty   that   must    be    honored,  but  rather  divine 


ADDRESS   TO   THE   BAPTISTS.  23 

truth,  and  our  party  only /or  the  sake  ofihQ  truth, 
we  Avould  much  rather  correct  your  doctrinal 
views. 

Of  course  you  do  not  deny  that  a  day  of  rest 
was  once  enjoined  upon  God's  chosen  people.  It 
is  only  under  the  gospel  that  you  suppose  all  dis- 
tinction of  days  to  be  annihilated.  If,  then,  it  is 
expedient  that  a  day  of  rest  should  be  observed,  it 
follows  irresistibly,  that  the  annihilation  of  all 
distinction  in  days,  by  the  gospel,  was  very  expe- 
dient !  And  thus,  whatever  blessings  the  gospel 
dispensation  brings  to  the  human  race,  a  strict 
following  out  of  its  principles  would  be  inexpedi- 
ent !  And,  farther,  that  the  laiv  which  enjoined 
a  day  of  rest,  had  more  of  an  eye  to  expediency 
than  the  gospel  has  !  Consequently  that  the  gos- 
pel, though  declared  to  be  faultless,  and  capable 
oi  perfecting  those  who  believe,  must  nevertheless, 
FOR  expediency's  SAKE,  borrow  a  little  help  from 
the  abrogated  rites  of  the  law  !  In  other  words, 
God,  in  setting  aside  a  day  of  rest,  committed  an 
oversight,  and  left  his  work  for  man  to  mend ! 
Brethren,  we  see  not  how  it  is  possible  for  you  to 
escape  such  monstrous  conclusions.  They  are  the 
legitimate  result  of  your  principles — principles 
that  you  must  have  adopted  without  considering 
where  they  would  land  you.  For  we  are  not  dis- 
posed to  believe  you  so  completely  destitute  of 
piety,  as  willingly  to  abide  by  the  result  of  them. 
We  entreat  you  to  reconsider  them,  and  adopt 
such  as  are  more  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of 
our  holy  religion. 

When  you  advocate  the  observance  of  a  day  of 
rest  on  the  ground  of  expediency,  we  are  persuaded 


24        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

that  you  do  so  in  view  of  the  bearing  you  perceive 
it  to  have  upon  the  well  being  of  mankind.  But 
still  the  question  will  arise,  Has  the  gospel  less  re- 
gard to  the  well  being  of  mankind  than  the  law 
had  ?  Look  at  the  humanity  of  the  Sabbatic  in- 
stitution. How  necessary  that  both  man  and 
beast  should  rest  one  day  in  seven.  How  evi^lent 
that  they  cannot  endure  uninterrupted  toil.  How 
perfectly  well  established,  that,  if  doomed  to  con- 
stant labor,  they  sink  under  the  premature  exhaus- 
tion of  their  powers.  So  well  is  this  established  that 
we  cannot  put  such  a  low  estimate  upon  your  judg- 
ment as  to  suppose  it  necessary  to  enter  upon  any 
proof  of  it.  But  the  question  returns,  Does  the  gos- 
pel breathe  less  humanity  than  the  law  ?  Or,  con- 
sider the  bearing  of  the  institution  upon  the  inter- 
ests of  religion.  It  affords  opportunity  for  men  to 
be  instructed  in  the  great  things  which  pertain  to 
their  salvation  ;  and  if  there  were  no  Sabbath  to 
call  them  away  from  their  labors,  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  bring  religious  instruction  into  contact 
with  their  minds.  Does  the  gospel  afford  less  ad- 
vantage in  this  respect  than  the  law  did  ?  Did 
the  law  provide  a  season  for  instructing  the  peo- 
ple in  religion  as  it  then  stood  ?  and  does  the  gos- 
pel provide  no  season  for  instructing  them  in  re- 
ligion as  it  now  stands  ?  Must  they  be  instructed 
in  types,  but  not  in  the  substance  ? — in  lyropliecy, 
but  not  in  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy  ?  No  one 
will  be  responsible  for  the  affirmative  of  these 
questions. 

If  the  New  Dispensation  actually  has  abrogated 
the  Sabbath,  we  clo  not  believe  that  it  is  expedient 
to  observe  it.     We  cannot  believe,  however,  that  an 


ADDRESS  TO   THE   BAPTISTS.  25 

institution  so  important  to  the  civilization,  refine» 
ment  and  religious  prosperity  of  mankind,  has  been 
abrogated*  A¥e  refer  you  to  our  publications,  and 
to  the  publications  of  those  who  have,  in  common 
with  us,  defended  the  perpetuity  of  the  Sabbatic 
law ;  and  we  entreat  you  to  reconsider  your 
ground.  The  doctrine  of  expediency  !  What  a 
fruitful  source  of  corruption  has  it  been  to  the 
church  of  God  !  There  is  not  an  anti-Christian, 
popish  abomination,  but  what  pleads  something  of 
this  kind.  Do,  dear  brethren,  let  it  be  expunged 
from  your  creed. 

Brethren  of  the  Baptist  Denomixatiox  : — 
You  are  a  great  and  growing  people.  Your  influ- 
ence is  felt  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  our 
land.  We  rejoice  in  your  prosperity.  "  May  the 
Lord  make  you  to  increase  and  abound  in  love  one 
towards  another,  and  toward  all  men."  In  your 
prosperity  we  behold,  in  a  measure,  our  own. 
Your  baptism  is  our  baptism.  Your  church  gov- 
ernment is  our  government.  Your  doctrinal  prin- 
ciples are  ours  ;  and  there  is  nothing  which  con- 
stitutes any  real  ground  of  separation,  except  the 
great  and  important  subject  we  now  urge  upon 
your  attention. 

The  popularity  you  have  gained  as  a  denomina- 
tion, however,  is  not  owing  to  your  Sabbath  prin- 
ciples. It  is  founded  entirely  on  your  views  con- 
cerning the  initiating  ordinance  of  the  gospel. 
These  views  are  characterized  by  that  perfect  sim- 
plicity which  marks  every  divine  institution. 
Hence  you  have  won  the  affections  of  the  common 
people,  while,  if  you  had  attempted  to  operate  on 


26        APPEAL  FOR  TUE  SABBATH  : 

them  by  a  more  complicatied  theory,  failure  would 
have  been  the  result. 

This  induces  us  to  urge  upon  your  notice  the 
exceeding  simplicity  of  the  Sabbatarian  argument, 
compared  with  all  those  theories  which  stand  in 
opposition  to  it.  It  is  adapted  to  persons  of  weak 
capacities.  Any  illiterate  person  can  open  the 
Bible,  and  point  to  the  chapter  and  verse,  saying, 
"  The  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy 
God."  This  is  plain;  he  can  understand  it.  But 
tell  him  that  redemption  was  a  much  greater  work 
than  creation ;  that  redemption  was  finished  by  the 
resurrection  of  Christ ;  that  an  event  so  important 
ought  to  be  commemorated  ;  and  that,  in  order  to 
do  this,  the  day  of  the  Sabbath  was  changed  from 
the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week  ;  for  all 
which  there  is  not  a  single  ''thus  saiththe  Lord," 
nothing  but  the  uncertain  deductions  of  hu- 
man reason  ;  can  he  understand  it  ?  No.  It  re- 
quires an  elevation  of  intellect  w^hich  God  has  not 
given  him.  The  inferences  and  deductions  are  be- 
yond his  capacities.  How  then  is  he  to  ren- 
der an  intelligeyit  obedience  ?  If  he  conform  his 
practice  to  the  theory  thus  set  before  him,  it  will 
not  be  because  he  understands  it,  but  because  he 
is  willing  to  trust  the  guidance  of  his  mind  to 
those  who,  he  thinks,  know  more  than  he  does 
himself.  This,  therefore,  is  strong  internal  evi- 
dence that  the  keeping  of  the  first  day  is  not  of 
God.  For  the  book  of  God  is  adapted  not  only 
to  those  of  elevated  intellect,  but  to  the  ignorant 
and  rude.  Everything  concerning  our  practice  is 
plain  even  to  wayfaring  men.     Were  it  otherwise. 


ADDRESS   TO    THE   BAPTISTS.  27 

we  should  conclude  that  the  Bible  is  not  an  inspir- 
ed production.  If  it  did  not  come  down  to  the  ca- 
pacities of  all,  we  should  infer  that  it  was  not  made 
by  Him  who  made  all  minds.  Indeed,  it  would 
not,  in  such  case,  be  a  revelation  to  all,  but  only 
to  the  more  talented.  But  it  is  a  revelation  to  all; 
and  he  that  obeys  God  must  do  it  for  himself;  he 
that  repents  and  believes,  must  do  so  for  himself; 
and  at  the  great  day,  every  one  of  us  shall  give 
account  for  himself  unto  God.  It  is  of  the  highest 
importance,  therefore,  that  every  one  knows  foi' 
himself  the  foundation  of  his  faith  and  practice. 

In  thus  urging  the  simplicity  of  the  argument 
for  the  Sabbath,  we  are  but  doing  what  you  do  in 
regard  to  Baptism.  Compare  the  cases.  A  man 
of  considerable  intellect  can  reason  from  the  Abra- 
hamic  covenant,  lay  propositions  together,  and 
draw  inferences  and  deductions,  until,  finally,  he 
makes  it  pretty  clear  to  his  own  mind,  that  the 
children  of  the  flesh,  these  are  the  children  of 
God  ;  Paul  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  But 
how  is  it  with  some  good  old  Baptist  sister,  who 
can  hardly  join  two  ideas  together,  and  draw  a 
logical  inference  from  them  ?  Why,  she  cannot 
tell  about  this  reasoning  from  the  Abrahamic  cov- 
enant. It  is  something  she  does  not  understand. 
Bat  she  can  open  her  Bible,  and  point  to  chapter 
and  verse  for  believers'  baptism.  She  puts  her 
finger  upon  something  that  is  just  adapted  to  her 
capacities.  As  she  has  a  soul  to  save,  an  obedi- 
ence to  render,  and  an  account  to  give,  all  for  her- 
self, her  practice  is  accordingly.  Brethren,  think 
this  matter  over,  and  see  whether  your  reasoning 
on  the  Sabbath  is  not  very  much  akin  to    that  of 


28  Al'PEAL   FOK   THE   SABBATH: 

f 

those  Avho  reason  from  the  Abrahamic  covenant  to 
Baptism.  Think  seriously,  whether  it  does  not 
render  intelligeyit  obedience  impossible  to  vast 
numbers  of  Christians.  Think  whether  a  course 
of  reasoning  which  darkens  a  very  simple  subject, 
is  not  more  specious  than  solid. 

Again,  your  children  are  to  be  early  instructed 
in  this  matter.  How  do  you  succeed  in  making 
them  understand  it  ?  Is  your  little  child  capable 
of  comprehending  all  this  argument,  which  you 
found  upon  the  finishing  of  redemption  by  the  res- 
urrection of  Christ  ?  Can  you  point  him  to  any 
plain  passage,  where  Christ  authorizes  a  change 
of  the  Sabbath  ?  How  do  you  feel  when  the  litr 
tie  creature  says,  in  the  simplicity  of  his  heart, 
"Father,  mother,  does  not  the  fourth  command- 
ment require  the  observance  of  the  seventh  day 
of  the  week  ?  But  do  wx  not  keep  the  first  day  ? 
I  should  think  this  is  not  keeping  the  command- 
ment." One  would  think  you  would  be  forcibly 
reminded  of  that  Scripture,  "  Out  of  the  mouths 
of  babes  and  sucklings  thou  hast  ordained 
strength."     Ps.  viii,  2. 

The  extensive  operations  in  which  you  are  en- 
gaged for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  render  it 
in  the  highest  degree  important  that  you  should 
not  err  on  a  question  like  this.  If  you  are  right, 
you  ought  to  be  very  certain  of  it.  Among  the 
heathen,  you  are  extending  the  observance  of 
Sunday  as  a  sacred  day.  If  you  are  thus  sowing 
the  seeds  of  error  instead  of  truth,  the  evils  who 
can  calculate?  Hence  you  cannot  too  early  be- 
gin to  review  your  ground.  Consider  the  difficul- 
ties your  missionaries  already  have  to   encounter. 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  29 

because  of  unscriptural  sentiments  propagated 
among  the  heathen  by  those  who  nevertheless  lov- 
ed then'  souls.  The  poor,  perishing  idolaters  are 
witnesses  of  the  clashing  of  doctrine  between  Je- 
sus Christ's  men,  and  they  ask,  "  Why  is  this  ? 
You  have  come  to  give  us  a  gospel  ivhich  jyrof esses 
to  make  its  folloivers  ^perfect  in  one^'  and  yet  you 
yourselves  are  divided.''  You  cannot  in  conscience 
abandon  your  principles,  however,  nor  dare  you, 
in  your  translations,  give  to  a  sentence  or  a  par- 
ticle one  single  turn,  which  will  not  fully  express 
the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Dare  you,  then, 
without  feeling  the  most  entire  certainty,  teach 
them  that  God  says,  "  Remember  the  first  day  of 
the  week  to  keep  it  holy  ?"  The  responsibility  of 
the  missionary,  in  this  respect,  is  not  less  than 
where  his  translation  is  concerned.  Does  he  feel 
the  same  awful  sense  of  responsibility  ? 

From  the  heathen  turn  to  the  contemplation  of 
the  Jewish  nation.*  The  time  cannot  be  far  dis- 
tant, when  those  who,  "  as  touching  the  election, 
are  beloved  for  the  fathers'  sakes,"  shall  be  call- 
ed to  behold  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Him 
they  have  so  long  rejected.  But  in  order  to  this, 
a  voice  from  the  divine  word  cries,  "  Cast  ye  up, 
cast  ye  up,  prepare  the  way,  take  up  the  stumbling 
block  out  of  the  way  of  my  people."  Have  Chris- 
tians seriously  considered  what  this  stumbling 
block  is  ?  For  our  own  part,  we  are  persuaded 
that   nothing   can   be  more  justly  called  by  this 

*  The  desecration  of  the  Sabbath  by  professed  believers  in 
Christ,  doubtless  has  been,  and  still  is,  a  stumbling-block  in 
the  way  of  the  Jews  to  keep  them  from  Christ ;  but  we  see 
no  promises  for  the  "  Jewish  nation"  more  than  for  other 
unbelieving  nations. — Pubs. 


30        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

name,  than  the  general  abandonment,  on  the  part 
of  Christians,  of  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord.  The 
Jews,  taking  it  for  granted,  without  examination, 
that  this  abandonment  is  really  taught  by  the 
Christian  religion,  suppose  that  its  author  cannot 
be  the  true  Messiah.  They  have  seen,  through 
every  period  of  their  nation's  history,  that  God 
has  put  signal  honor  upon  this  institution.  They 
have  seen  its  sacredness  elevated  high  above  that 
of  the  ceremonial  institutions.  They  have  heard 
their  prophets  dwell  upon  the  profanation  of  it  as 
the  crying  sin  of  the  land,  on  account  of  which 
the  sore  judgments  of  Heaven  came  down  upon  it. 
It  is  true,  some  teach  that  the  whole  Mosaic  sys- 
tem Avas  clothed  with  as  much  sacredness  as  the 
Sabbath ;  and  that  it  was  not  for  the  sin  of  Sab- 
bath breaking,  any  more  than  for  a  disregard  of 
the  ritual  service  in  general,  that  they  suffered  the 
WTath  of  Jehovah.  But  such  persons  must  have 
paid  only  a  superficial  attention  to  the  subject. 
The  attentive  reader  cannot  fail  to  be  struck  with 
the  fact,  that  while  in  the  prophets  the  Sabbath 
is  exalted  as  of  vast  importance  to  the  nation,  and 
all  its  prosperity,  and  the  favor  of  God,  seeming- 
ly, suspended  on  the  proper  keeping  of  it,  cere- 
monial usages  are  comparatively  depreciated. 

Since  the  Sabbath  holds  such  a  sacredness 
throughout  the  ancient  oracles  of  God — since  the 
Israelites  have  taken  their  lessons  of  obedience  to 
it  under  ''  the  rod  of  his  wrath" — since  no  grant 
was  given  to  the  Messiah  to  set  it  aside,  nor  the 
least  intimation  ever  made  to  the  Jews  that  it 
would   be   set   aside — can  we   wonder  that  they 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  31 

think  that  teacher  to  be  an  impostor  who    should 
break  this  commandment,  and  teach  men  so  ? 

But  there  is  a  crisis  approaching — the  day  is 
near,  and  it  hasteth  greatly — when  it  will  be  in- 
dispensable that  all  those  who  truly  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  have  their  "loins  girt  about  with 
truth."  Popery  is  preparing  for  another  desper- 
ate struggle.  The  great  principle  of  the  Refor- 
mation, that  ''  the  Scriptures  are  the  only  rule  of 
faith,"  is  to  be  discussed  anew.  In  the  Church 
of  England,  this  discussion  has  already  commenc- 
ed. Rome  has  opened  her  sluices,  and  anti-chris- 
tian  corruption  again  threatens  to  flood  the  church 
of  God.  As  the  water  naturally  seeks  such  chan- 
nels as  may  already  be  prepared,  so  will  it  be  with 
this  doctrine.  What  branch  of  Zion  will  be  next 
troubled  ?  Probably  that  which  makes  the  next 
widest  departure  from  the  great  Protestant  prin- 
ciple. Then  that  which  is  next  in  order ;  and  so 
on.  For  it  can  not  reasonably  be  expected  to 
stop,  until  it  reach  that  order  of  people  which  is 
governed  by- the  Bible  alone.  Upon  all  others  the 
desolation  must  be  more  or  less  extensive.  For 
those  who  acknowledge  the  principle  of  departing 
from  the  Bible  in  ever  so  small  a  degree,  may  be 
expected  to  exemplify  it  to  an  indefinite  extent, 
when  the  circumstances  of  the  times  are  so  modi- 
fied as  to  give  occasion  for  it.  As  for  yourselves, 
you  do  not  avow  the  principle  of  departing  from 
the  Scriptures,  but  profess  to  hold  it  in  abhorrence. 
The  language  of  your  creeds  is  explicit  on  this 
point ;  and  we  know  of  no  denomination  so  for- 
ward to  plead  a  strict  conformity  to  this  principle 
as  yourselves.     Yet  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  pre- 


32        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

tend,  with  any  show  of  modesty,  that  the  Scrip- 
tures expressly  enjoin  the  keeping  of  Sunday  as  a 
Sabbath  to  the  Lord.  You  cannot  say,  from 
Scripture  authority,  that  the  apostles  observed  it 
as  such.  Nevertheless,  your  creed  declares  that 
it  ought  to  be  so  observed ;  and  yom-  practice  ac- 
cords Avith  your  creed.  Wherefore,  it  is  as  evi- 
dent as  mathematical  demonstration,  that  you  do 
depart  from  the  great  Protestant  principle.  Con- 
sequently, if  our  views  be  correct  in  regard  to  the 
crisis  which  is  at  hand,  the  time  cannot  be  far  dis- 
tant, when  your  own  denomination  will  in  some 
modified  form  be  affected  with  the  deprecated  evil, 
and  you  will  be  compelled  to  abandon  every  prin- 
ciple and  practice  which  can  give  it  the  smallest 
advantage. 

Do  you  think,  brethren,  that  in  your  present 
position  you  are  prepared  for  the  great  struggle  ? 
\Yhen  the  Puseyite,  replying  to  those  who  contend 
for  the  Protestant  maxim,  refers  to  the  observance 
of  Sunday,  and  says,  "Here  we  are  absolutely 
compelled  to  resort  to  the  aid  of  ancient  usage, 
as  recorded,  not  by  the  inspired,  but  by  the  unin- 
spired writers,"  are  you  ready  for  the  issue  ?  Can 
you  confute  what  he  says  ?  When  another  one 
says,  "  The  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the 
Lord  thy  God  ;  we  celebrate  the  first.  Was  this 
done  by  divine  command  ?  No.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect that  the  Saviour,  or  the  apostles,  say  we  shall 
rest  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  instead  of  the 
seventh;"  and  then  concludes,  ''The  same  rea- 
sons which  urge  you  to  dissent  from  the  observ- 
ance of  the  three  grand  festivals  of  the  Church  of 
England,  ought  to  operate  with  you  respecting  the 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  33 

Sabbath;" — are  you  prepared  to  join  issue  with 
him  ?  Can  you  justify  yourselves  on  your  own 
principles'?  If  you  can,  we  will  confess  our  short- 
sightedness. But  indeed  we  fear,  we  tremble,  in 
view  of  the  crisis  which  is  approaching,  when  we 
look  at  the  traditional  usages  prevailing  among 
Christians,  and  consider  with  what  a  tenacious 
grasp  they  are  held.  0  Lord  God  Almighty ! 
thou  who  hast  sworn  that  "  thy  kindness  shall  not 
depart  from  thy  church,  nor  the  covenant  of  thy 
peace  be  removed,"  let  not  thy  truth  fall  in  the 
contest. 

We  mean  not  to  goad  your  feelings,  by  charg- 
ing upon  you  any  of  the  abominations  of  Popery. 
We  are  sure  you  would  not  cherish  one  of  them, 
if  you  were  conscious  of  it.  But  we  take  it  for 
granted,  that  those  who  are  forward  to  take  the 
mote  out  of  their  brother's  eye,  are  willing  to  have 
the  beam  taken  out  of  their  own.  You  have 
charged  Pedobaptist  denominations,  over  and  over, 
with  upholding  Popery's  chief  pillar.  You  have 
told  them,  that  their  zeal,  against  the  man  of  sin 
would  avail  them  but  little,  until  they  first  rid 
themselves  of  his  traditions.  You  have  talked 
feelingly  of  the  sin  of  encumbering  the  ordinances 
of  God  with  human  inventions.  You  have  read 
the  church  of  Christ  many  a  good  lesson  on  the 
importance  of  holding  the  truth  in  its  purity.  In 
all  this  you  have,  doubtless,  been  sincere.  We 
have  no  fault  to  find  with  you ;  for  you  have  only 
followed  the  Bible  direction,  "  Cry  aloud,  spare 
not,  show  my  people  their  transgression."  In 
conformity  with  this  direction,  we  would  endeavor 
to  act  our  part  as  faithful  reprovers.     Yet  our  de- 


34        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

sire  is,  to  do  it  with  meekness,  considering  our- 
selves lest  vfe  also  be  tempted.  It  may  be — we 
know  not — that  some  of  the  abominations  of  the 
man  of  sin  are  cleaving  to  us.  If  so,  "  let  the 
righteous  smite  us,  it  shall  be  a  kindness ;  let 
them  reprove  us,  it  shall  be  an  excellent  oil,  which 
shall  not  break  our  head." 

Turn,  brethren,  to  the  seventh  chapter  of  the 
prophecy  of  Daniel,  and  twenty-fifth  verse.  You 
there  find  one  spoken  of  who  "  shall  speak  great 
words  against  the  Most  High,  and  shall  wear  out 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  and  think  to  change 
TIMES  and  LAWS."  You  have  had  no  difficulty  in 
finding  in  this  prophecy  a  reference  to  the  law  of 
baptism,  as  one  of  the  laws  which  this  great  pow- 
er has  changed  ;  but  you  have  not  shown  satisfac- 
torily what  are  the  times.  You  have  usually  re- 
ferred them  to  the  numerous  festivals  and  holy- 
days,  which  have  been  multiplied  by  the  church  of 
Rome.  But  these  were  times  established  ;  not 
times  changed.  Will  you  please  to  expound  this 
passage  a  little  more  clearly  ?  Will  you  tell  us 
whether,  under  the  gospel,  there  is  any  sacred 
time  except  the  Sabbath  ?  We  will  not  be  unrea- 
sonably confident,  but  we  are  much  mistaken,  if 
you  can  give  any  clear  and  satisfactory  construc- 
tion to  this  prophecy,  without  finding  that  some- 
thing of  Rome  still  cleaves  to  you. 

Suffer  us  here  to  declare  our  conviction,  that 
you  could  take  no  more  effectual  step  toward  con- 
verting the  Christian  world  to  right  views  about 
baptism,  than  to  embrace  the  Sabbath  of  the  Bi- 
ble. In  your  discussions  with  Pedobaptists,  you 
are  constantly  referred  to  the  change  of  the  Sab- 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  35 

bath,  as  proof  that  some  things  may  be  binding 
which  the  Scriptures  do  not  expressly  enjoin.  You 
have  never  met  this  argument  fairly  and  fulh^ 
To  be  sure,  you  always  make  an  attempt  to  meet 
it.  But  how  do  you  do  it  ?  By  proving  that 
Christ  expressly  enjoined  his  followers  to  sabha- 
tize  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  ?  By  showing 
from  express  scripture  testimony,  that  the  apos- 
tles did  actucdly  rest  from  their  labors  on  that  day  ? 
No.  Neither  of  these  things  have  you  ever  shown ; 
nor  can  you  show  them.  The  whole  head  and 
front  of  your  proof — if  proof  it  may  be  called — 
amount  only  to  this  :  that  the  apostles  and  primi- 
tive Christians  met  together  for  tvorship  on  that 
day.  It  is  true,  by  such  a  course  you  have  gen- 
erally talked  your  opponents  into  silence,  because 
by  exposing  fully  the  defect  of  your  reply,  it 
would  only  render  their  own  transgression  the 
more  glaring.  But  while  you  silenced  them,  you 
did  not  convince  them.  While  they  saw  that  for 
one  of  your  otvn  customs  you  could  not  plead  a 
"thus  saith  the  Lord,"  they  felt  comparatively 
easy  under  all  your  rebukes,  and  naturally  enough 
thought  it  not  very  important,  that  they  should 
should  have  a  "thus  saith  the  Lord"  for  the 
sprinkling  of  babes. 

But  a  most  important  consideration,  in  view  of 
this  subject,  is  the  influence  of  your  large  and 
powerful  denomination  upon  an  unconverted 
world.  Whatever  your  theory  about  the  perpetu- 
ity of  the  sabbatic  law — whatever  your  doubts  and 
scruples  about  the  use  of  the  term  Sabbath  under 
the  gospel — you  cannot  rid  yourselves  of  a  deep 
sense  of  the  importance  of  a  day  of  rest  to  the  world 


36        APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH  : 

at  large.  Hence  the  resolutions  of  your  churches 
and  conventional  bodies,  with  regard  to  the  prof- 
anation of  what  you  call  the  Lord's  day.  Hence 
your  plain,  out-spoken  censures  of  running  cars, 
stages,  steamboats,  and  other  public  conveyances, 
on  this  day.  Hence  your  griefs  and  lamentations 
over  those  who  make  it  a  day  of  recreation  or 
mirth.  Hence  your  readiness  to  co-operate  with 
those  bodies  which  are  organized  to  suppress,  if 
possible,  the  violation  of  what  is  called  the  Sab- 
bath. We  admire  the  principle  which  governs  you 
in  all  this ;  but  we  regret  that  it  is  not  regulated 
by  a  better  understanding  of  the  subject. 

If  you  would  promote  right  principles,  you 
must  be  careful  that  your  proofs,  and  examples 
for  illustration,  are  pertinent,  and  free  from  all 
uncertainty.  We  are  fully  persuaded,  that  your 
Recommendations  and  Pledges,  your  Resolutions 
and  Associational  Acts,  will  always  meet  with  de- 
feat, until  you  can  fortify  them  by  a  law  of  God, 
so  clearly  expressed,  that  it  will  urge  and  goad 
the  violator's  conscience  wherever  he  may  go. 
The  consciences  of  guilty  men  cannot  be  reached 
by  the  method  you  are  pursuing.  You  behold 
them  desecrating  the  Sunday,  and,  in  order  to 
make  them  lay  it  to  heart  as  a  sin,  you  bring 
down  upon  them — what?  Apostolic  example? 
New  Testament  intimations,  and  far-fetched  infer- 
ences ?  No.  None  of  these  do  you  think  of  em- 
ploying. But  the  Law,  the  all-searching,  sin-re- 
buking Laio  of  God,  is  the  only  means  you  think 
of  in  such  a  case.  Nothing  else  suits  your  pur- 
pose, be  your  theory  what  it  may.  But  hear  their 
reply.     "  Is  the  law  of  the   commandment  upon 


ABBiiiiss  TO  nm  Baptists.  S7 

us  TO-DAY  ?  That  it  was  yesterday,  we  allow  ; 
for  it  says,  "  The  seventh  day.''  That  the  law  of 
the  commandment  lies  against  us  every  day,  you 
will  not  pretend ;  but  only  one  day  in  seven.  If  that 
one  day  Was  yesterday,  you  are  yourselves  as  guilty 
as  we  ;  and  we,  therefore,  feel  comparatively  com- 
fortable* To  be  sure,  some  sense  of  the  necessity 
of  keeping  the  Sabbath  holy,  does  at  times  rest 
upon  our  minds  ;  and  our  consciences,  for  the  mo- 
ment, reproach  us ;  but  when  we  see  you,  and  all 
the  Christian  world,  living  in  the  neglect  of  it,  we 
feel  quite  easy  again,  and  think  our  sin  to  be  but 
a  light  one."  Such  may  not  be  their  precise  lan- 
guage, but  it  is  the  exact  expression  of  their 
hearts'  feelings.  Thus  even  the  law  fails  in  your 
hands,  because  you  attempt  to  make  it  speak  wha.t 
it  will  not  speak. 

If  you  ask  «s,  ''T>oyoti  meet  with  success  in 
attempting  to  reach  the  conscience  of  guilty,  un- 
believing men?"  we  reply,  that  we  have  no  diffi- 
culty, except  so  far  as  you,  and  the  whole  body  of 
observers  of  the  first  day,  stand  in  the  way.  We 
bring  them  to  admit,  openly  and  honestly,  the 
claims  of  God's  law,  and  a  sense  of  guilt  momen- 
tarily rests  upon  them,  But  immediately  they 
turn  to  contempla.te  your  practice,  and  their  hearts 
become  hardened.  We  do,  therefore,  affection- 
ately, but  earnestly,  invite  you  to  consider,  how 
tremendous  is  your  influence  toward  perpetuating 
Sabbath  profanation  in  the  land.  Your  numbers, 
your  learning,  your  talents,  your  wealth,  your 
general  respectability,  all  combine  to  operate  with 
overwhelming  effect  in  this  matter. 

Our  observations,  if  correct,  go  to  show  what  a 


38  APPEAL   FOR   THE   SABBATH  : 

source  of  danger  the  Sundaj  heresy  is  to  the 
Moral  Law.  The  Sabbath  is  a  most  important 
precept  of  this  law,  "  the  golden  clasp,''  as  an  old 
writer  quaintly  observes,  "  which  joins  the  two  ta- 
bles together ;  the  sineiv  in  the  body  of  laws, 
which  were  written  with  God's  own  finger  ;  the  in- 
termediate precept,  which  participates  of  the  sanc- 
tity of  both  tables,  and  the  due  observance  of 
which,  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  whole  law."  This 
important  precept  is  either  set  aside  entirely,  or 
its  edge  and  keenness  so  muflled  by  a  transfer  to 
another  day,  that  the  united  efi'orts  of  the  church 
can  do  little  or  nothing  toward  impressing  it  on 
the  conscience.  Here,  then,  is  a  relaxation  of 
the  standard  of  morality  ;  and  vrhile  the  standard 
is  relaxed  with  regard  to  this  one  precept,  in  vain 
do  we  look  for  the  Law,  as  a  whole,  to  appear 
glorious  in  the  eyes  of  men. 

This  remark  will  be  strengthened,  if  we  consid- 
er  to  what  incohsistencies  the  advocates  of  Sunday 
are  driven.  Some,  in  their  zeal  to  defend  it,  even 
go  so  far  as  to  deny  the  Moral  Lav/  to  be  a  rule  of 
conduct  to  Christians.  Others,  though  they  ad- 
mit the  Law  to  be  a  rule  of  conduct,  cannot  re- 
lieve themselves  of  at  least  seeming  to  undervalue 
it.  When  the  Sabbath  discussion  is  out  of  sight, 
they  speak  out  clearly,  and  without  equivocation, 
givnig  the  fullest  proof  that  they  regard  tlie  Law 
as  the  unchangeable  standard  of  obedience. 

But  at  other  times  they  reason  from  the  New 
Dispensation  in  a  manner  so  vague  and  indefinite 
tliat  one  is  puzzled  to  tell  v>hether  they  regard 
the  Gospel  as  enforcing  strict  obedience  to  the 
Law    or    not.     Now  he  tluit  is  establislied  in  tlie 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    BAPTISTS.  39 

clear  truth,  is  hampered  with  no  such  difficulties. 
There  is  with  him  not  only  the  naked  and  abstract 
admission,  that  the  Moral  Law  is  unchangeably- 
binding,  but  there  appears  such  a  beautiful  and 
perfect  conformity  between  this  admission  and  the 
principles  he  inculcates,  that  the  most  common 
minds  are  struck  with  it,  and  eA^ery  doubt  is  scat- 
tered. 

While  you  are  fettered  by  such  difficuties,  is 
there  no  danger  that  the  Law  will  lose  its  sacred- 
ness  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  ?  Surely  there  is. 
There  is  danger,  also,  that  your  system  of  theol- 
ogy will  be  corrupted  in  other  particulars.  Error 
goes  not  alone.  Could  an  opinion  exist  in  the 
mind,  circumscribed  and  isolated,  without  affect- 
ing any  of  our  other  principles,  it  would  be  com- 
paratively harmless.  But  it  is  not  more  a  truth, 
that  a  man  who  utters  one  falsehood  is  obliged  to 
tell  twenty  more  to  hide  it,  than  that  he  who  sup- 
ports one  error  is  obliged  to  forge  numberless  oth- 
ers to  give  consistency  to  his  creed.  It  is  also  a 
truth,  which  reflection  and  daily  observation  will 
confirm,  that  nearly  if  not  quite  all  the  heresies 
which  ever  infested  the  church  of  God,  are  trace- 
able to  some  loose  notions  concerning  the  moral 
law.  Nothing,  therefore,  can  be  more  necessary, 
than  that  our  creed  give  the  grea^test  possible 
prominence  to  the  law  as  a  standard  of  holiness  ; 
and  that  our  customs  be  in  perfect  conformity  with 
our  creed. 

Brethren,  can  we  hope  that  the  subject  on  vrhich 
we  have  addressed  you  vvill  receive  your  prayer- 
ful attention  ?  Almost  your  entire  denomination 
has  slumbered  over  it  ;  but  may  we  not  hope  that ' 


40  APl'EAL  1*011  THE   SAbSATIL 

you  will  now  aAvake  ?  May  we  not  hope  that  it 
will  be  discussed  in  your  private  circles,  and  in 
your  public  assemblies  ;  in  your  Bible  classes,  and 
in  your  Sunday  schools  ;  that  it  will  be  studied  by 
your  ministers,  and  by  the  people  in  general ;  and 
that  every  one  will,  in  the  deep  desire  of  his  soul, 
pray,  "  Lord,  open  thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may 
discern  wondrous  things  out  of  thy  law.'* 

But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  we  see  a  disposition 
to  pass  it  by  with  cold  neglect — 'an  unwillingness 
to  look  the  question  in  the  face — an  attempt,  on 
the  part  of  your  teachers  and  leaders,  to  hush  it 
up  as  a  matter  of  no  importance— a  studied  effort 
to  lead  the  people  away  from  it,  when  they  are 
disposed  to  examine — -or  teaching  them  that  it  is 
the  spirit,  rather  than  the  letter  of  the  law  that 
God  requires — we  shall  be  constrained  to  apply 
the  language  of  Him  who  spake  as  never  man  spake 
— "  Every  oNJi  that  doeth  evil   hateth  the 

LIGHT,  neither  COMETH  TO  THE  LIGHT,    LEST    HIS 

DEEDS  SHOULD  BE  REPROVED."  John  iii,  20. 


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